Elizabeth Montgomery's life was full of sadness and despair

The veteran actress & political activist, Elizabeth Montgomery, won the hearts of fans the world over with her character, Samantha Stephens in the original "Bewitched."

Author Herbie Pilato published an autobiography in 2012, titled "Twitch Upon A Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of Elizabeth Montgomery." The book features exclusive interviews with the famed actress.

Montgomery might have bewitched fans with her portrayal of the lovable witch, Samantha Stevens, in the 1960's and 1970, but her off-screen life was far from enchanted.

Apart from being an accomplished actress, Montgomery was also involved with several charitable causes, including education, AIDS activism, and women's and gay rights.

Montgomery was a Grand Marshall at the LA Gay Pride Parade and volunteered at Learning Ally. The nonprofit organization recorded educational books for disabled people.

Despite her success on- and off-screen, Montgomery led a troubled life. Her strained relationship with her father was root of all her troubles.

Montgomery was married four times and was involved with many of Hollywood's most famous leading men. She was linked to Elvis Presley and Dean Martin, to name but two.

Montgomery and Frederick Gallatin Cammann tied the knot in 1954, but their union lasted just one year. Her second marriage to actor Gig Young lasted seven years.

In 1963, she married "Bewitched" producer, William Asher. Her affair with producer Richard Michaels in 1973 tore both their families apart, and led ultimately to the cancellation of "Bewitched."

Montgomery split up from Michaels in 1975. She later lived with actor Robert Foxworth for nearly two decades, and married him just 18 months before she passed away from colon cancer in 1995 at the age of 62.

It is believed he sought out calamitous relationships because she had a "father complex." She tried to please him but also rebelled against the man who had physically and mentally abused her during her youth.

In his book, Pilato stated that Robert Montgomery was resentful when Elizabeth became a more prominent Hollywood sensation than he was. As an actress, he was always her harshest critic.

Montgomery had always been in relationships with older men, due to her unresolved issues with her father. It was only when she met Foxworth, nine years her junior, that she finally found some form of personal happiness.